Iowa attorney general concerned about Latino home loan data in Iowa City

In this Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018 photo, people stand outside of a Hills Bank location in downtown Iowa City. A new analysis of federal data shows that Latinos seeking conventional home loans in the Iowa City area were nearly four times more likely to be denied than non-Hispanic whites in 2016, the widest disparity in the nation. The findings appeared to be driven by a high rate of rejections for prospective Latino borrowers reported by Hills Bank, one of the two dominant mortgage lenders in the local market.(Photo: Ryan J. Foley/Associated Press)

Miller says the findings by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting seem consistent with an earlier University of Iowa study that documented home loan denial rates for Latinos.

The analysis published last month found that Latinos applying for conventional mortgages in the Iowa City metropolitan area were nearly four times more likely to be denied than non-Hispanic whites in 2016, the widest disparity in the nation in 2016.

Miller says his office will look into the issue and “consider our options.” A spokesman declined to elaborate on what those options might be.

The Iowa Civil Rights Commission has said the findings are noteworthy, but that it doesn’t have the funding to investigate.